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Albion’s Call: Brexit, Democracy and England

Anthony Barnett talks about “powerlessness, the renter or rip-off state, massive inequality, identity politics, the Irish example, why the Scots are different, what it means to be English, identity politics, the need to reimagine ourselves …”

Sadly, since we do not live in a democracy, the excellent exposition given is totally irrelevant. The reason for Brexit is the EU Finance Bill coming into law on April 1st 2019. Two specific clauses of the law are toxic to the U.K: the first bans offshore banking for tax avoidance for individuals and includes the powers to go after 20 years of unpaid taxes; the second bans companies from having registered offices other than in the place where their factories or wealth creating enterprises are situated – so if you work in a country you are taxed in that same country.
Both of these are anathema to the U.K., especially since the British Overseas Territories are equally subject to E.U. Membership laws. The “consultative” referendum being rendered into law without further scrutiny by the electorate, and let’s not forget the 24 Conservative M.P.s who were found to have breeched electoral rules to give Cameron his majority and so his mandate for that “consultation”.

Jim, reading your comment I can’t work out whether or not you are for this EU Regulation? Personally I think it’s a good thing as it starts to put the lid on Tax ‘avoidance’ or ‘evasion’ and hopefully will bring much needed revenue.

“It’s not about identity, it’s about democracy. . . . I really respect the reasons and the motives of those who voted for Brexit, but . . . if you have a strike you have a ballot, and if you then get an offer of a deal you put that back to members.

“If you say we want to reverse this decision that would be saying we don’t accept your decision, but going back and saying “This is the outcome of your decision, is this what you really want?” is not patronising . . .

“We [Remainers] would have to say we’ve got our arguments wrong, we have to change to. May, and in a different way Corbyn, are saying “Enough of all this democracy, we’re handling this, we’ll do the best we can. It’ll be a compromise. It won’t be what you really want, but we’ll fix it”. But we’ve got to say “No! No sorry its not up to you any longer. We’re going to re-imagine the way this country is governed, and we’re going to take control”